Every time Lynn starts acting differently for several days in a row, I start to wonder if it means there’s some new problem we have to face. MS can affect so many different body parts and functions that I just never know if a new problem is MS or something else.
For instance, Lynn has been sleeping a lot. He talked to his dietitian who thought he needed more protein in his diet; so, we added two protein shakes a day. He loves them and he is putting on a little more weight (he lost a lot dieting and not tracking how much he was losing) which is probably a good thing, but he still sleeps much more than he used to sleep. Now, I know MS causes fatigue and I know that our sleeping habits are poor because he wakes so often to empty his bladder but is this just the natural order of MS; lots of fatigue leading to the need for more sleep? Should he sleep this much if he’s tired or does sleeping a lot cause him to feel tired? Could be either. Should I be concerned or just let it go as part of the normal course of MS?
Continue reading at https://multiplesclerosis.net/caregiver/something-new-to-deal-with/
Hi Donna,
I’ve been dealing with MS since August, 1980 and fatigue is one of the problems that impacts me the most. Over the years, my MS has progressed to the point where I use a scooter to travel all but very short distances and I use two canes and a Bioness stimulator to handle those.
Fatigue is a Catch 22 problem. I get tired if I exercise but I also can get tired, and a bit depressed, if I don’t. Getting up a lot at night can make me want to sleep later in the morning, but if I sleep too late I feel groggy and want to go back to bed. If I’m depressed I want to sleep more but sleeping a lot can increase depression. See what I mean?
Stress can also affect my fatigue. I retired from a stressful job in the news media, with a tiring commute, at age 64. I handled my fatigue with a combination of drugs, exercise, a fun hobby (ham radio) and knowing when to say “when.”
The thing is, with MS one-size doesn’t fit all. If Lynn has a good neurologist, one who specializes in MS, he should speak with him or her about his sleeping. If he doesn’t recognize the problem then it might be good for you to speak with the doc about it. But don’t just accept fatigue as something that can’t be handled.
thanks for sharing. sounds like good advice and also thinks for the link to the article.
Donna
I forgot. Here’s a link to an article about fatigue that I ran across today: http://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/2016/06/22/20160508multiple-sclerosis-comorbidities-linked-to-fatigue/?utm_source=Multiple+Sclerosis&utm_campaign=fd0214bd17-RSS_THURSDAY_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b5fb7a3dae-fd0214bd17-71294737